Oyster-opener.



No. 829,693. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906. 'E. M. OOLFORD & G. H. THOMAS. OYSTER OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY18. 1905.

1n: NORRIS PETERS co., wAsmrm-ron, n. c.

UNITED smrns PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. COLFORD AND GEORGE H. THOMAS, OF WASHINGTON, DIS

TRIOT OF OOLUM BIA; SAID THOMAS ASSIGNOR TO SAID OOLFORD.

OYSTER-OPENER. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

-Applioati0n filed July 18, 1905. Serial No. 270.192.

T 0 all 10/1/0771 it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. CoLFoRn and GEORGE H. THOMAS, citizens of the United States, and residents of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oyster-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

In shucking oysters it has been the common practice after removing the upper shell to cut with the ordinary oyster-knife the muscle or so-called heart from its adhesion to the lower shell, and then the oyster is held between the thumb of the shucker and the knife-blade and thrown or dropped into a receptacle. In handling oysters in the shell the hands of the shucker necessarily become dirty, and when the thumb. is placed on the oyster this dirt and also fragments of shell adhere to the oyster, and there may be other contaminations. Moreover, when oysters are so opened in the presence of a customer this lack of cleanliness is repulsive.

By the use of the instrument hereinafter described the oyster is removed from the shells without coming in contact with any part of the person of the operator, and as the instrument is made of metal dirt and germs are not so adherent and it is readily kept clean.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a modification. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the handle, and B the blade of an oyster-knife of a form especially intended for use in shucking oysters cooked in the shell, such as roasted or steamed oysters.

C is a rocking thumb-piece pivoted on a pin 0, the axis of the rocking thumb-piece being in the same plane or in a plane parallel to the plane of the blade. The thumb-piece O has a forwardly-extending arm O of abladelike form and which has a broad flat under surface C at the end formed at a slight angle, which will adapt it to clamp the oyster against the knife-blade without cutting or otherwise mutilating it. As shown best in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the arm extends to the extremity of the knife; but obviously it might be shorter without interfering with its operation. As shown in these figures, the

It will be seen, therefore, from the above description that in accordance with our invention we have provided an oyster-knife with a device extending in the direction of the blade having a broad fiat under surface adapted when pressed down by the user to clamp an oyster against the blade to remove it from the shell and which when released will be retracted by the spring, so as to let the oyster fall into the plate or other receptacle;

As above stated, the knife shown in Figs. 1

and 2 by reason of the shape of the blade is especially intended for use in shucking cooked oysters; but it may be also used for shucking raw oysters, or, if desired, the blade and forwardly-extending portion of the thumb-piece may be narrowed similarly to what is shown in Figs. 3 and 41, the construction and arrangement of the other parts remaining the same as that shown in said Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings is shown an oyster-knife of the form ordinarily employed in shucking raw oysters. In this form the knife is provided with a solid somewhat egg-shaped handle A, which may be and usually will be of wood, and the blade B is, as shown, narrower than that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the forwardly-extending arm 0 of the thumb-piece O is also narrower to correspond to the width of the blade. This forwardly-extending arm is also provided at its forward end with a broad flat under surface C arranged at a slight angle to the remaining portion of the arm, so as to be more nearly parallel with the blade when closed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In order to adapt the thumb-piece to be attached to a knife of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it is provided with ears 0 having apertures and a collar adapted to be secured to the handle, to which the ears are pivoted by means of pins or studs 0 within the apertures. As shown in the drawings, the collar 0 is provided with apertured ears 0, by which it may be clamped to the reduced cylindrical end of the handle by a screw or bolt In this form of the thumb-piece there is also provided an upwardly-extending rojection C against which the thumb of-t e user can press for forcing the thumbpiece downwardly into position to hold the oyster, and an expanding-spring 0 is interposed between the collar and the thumbvpiece for throwing it upwardly.

The form of thumbpiece, and especially the means for securing it to the knife, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) adapt it for application to knives now on the market, and to suit handles of different shapes the shape of the collar 0 may be modified to correspond.

What we claim is 1. A thumb-piece for an oyster-knife having'means adapted to secure it to the knife and comprising an arm having at one end a broad fiat under surface, and means for pivotally connecting said arm to the securing means located at its opposite end, the axis of the pivot being transverse to the length of the arm.

2. A thumb-piece for an oyster-knife comprising an arm having at one end a collar and aving at its opposite end a broad flat under surface, said collar being adapted for attachment to the knife, and means for pivotally securing said arm to the collar, the axis of the pivot being transverse to the length of the arm.

3. An oyster-knife having a handle and blade in combination with an arm pivotally supported thereon to swing in a plane vertical to the fiat surface of the blade, and having a broad flat under surface at the end opposite the pivot.

4. An oyster-knife having a handle and blade in combination with a thumb-piece pivoted thereto and comprising an arm extending in the direction of the blade and having a broad flat under surface at its outer ex-- tremity, and an upwardly-extending projection.

5. An oyster-knife having a handle and blade in combination with a thumb-piece pivoted thereto and comprisingan arm extending in the direction of the blade and having a broad flat under surface at its outer extremity and an upwardly-extending projection, and a spring adapted to hold the arm out of operative position.

6. A thumb-piece for an oyster-knife comprisingan arm having at one end a yoke and at its opposite end a broad flat under surface, a collar adapted for attachment to the knife, said yoke being pivoted to the collar, and a projection secured to the upper face of the arm and adapted for pressure thereagainst to swing said yoke on its pivot and therewith the arm,the axis of the pivot being transverse to the length of the arm.

7. An oyster-opener comprising a handle and a blade, and an arm pivotally supported on the handle and arranged for movement in a vertical plane with respect to the face of the blade, said arm extending in the direction of the blade and having a broad flat under surface at its outer extremity.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWD. M. OOLFORD. GEORGE H. THOMAS. Witnesses:

EMILY 'F. BECK, ETHEL M. OOLFORD. 

